Sliding screen assembly



M. V. NOECKER SLIDING SCREEN ASSEMBLY Dec. 1, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001.. 4, 1951 INS/DE INVENTOR.

MHRSHHLL l/ NOECKER A? I ATTORNEY 1366- 1953 M. v. NOECKER SLIDING SCREEN ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 4, 1951 JNVENTOR. MHRSHHLL V. NOEC/(EA ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1953 UNITED STATES OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to a screen mounting assembly for slidably mounting a pair of doublehung screens, and particularly relates to an assembly by which said screens may be locked into place by simple means.

In the use of double-hung sliding screens in various types of public institutions, particularly those used in mental hospitals, there has long been a problem of providing a screen assembly which cannot easily be removed from the inside by the patient and yet which is not limited to removal only from the outside. In such institutions, there have been several cases where patients have attempted to climb, or throw themselves, out of a window. Therefore, it has been desirable to provide a screen which can be readily locked against opening from the inside. On the other hand, there have been occasions where the opening or removing of such screens is important, as where it is required to obtain an easy and quick exit in case of fire, or to facilitate the cleaning of windows. Hence, permanently installed, or conventionally locked screen assemblies have not been satisfactory.

Further, it is desirable that screen assemblies of the nature aforesaid be made with the lock ing mechanism of a sufliciently simple type that it can "readily be adapted for ordinary industrial, omce 0r domestic uses without unreasonable expense.

Still further, it is desirable to provide a screen mounting assembly which can either be adapted for double or triple hung arrangements without material or expensive, alterations.

Accordingly, a principal object of the invention :3;

is to provide a screen assembly, and locking mechanism adaptable thereto ,by which the screen may be easily locked and unlocked from the inside and which, when in locked condition, it is impossible to remove from the inside and when said screen is in unlocked position it be comes easy to remove from either the insideor the outside.

A further object of the invention is to provide a screen assembly, as aforesaid, which is simpleand inexpensive to construct.

A further object of the invention is to provide a screen assembly, as aforesaid, which will be sturdy and capable of withstanding rough usage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a screen assembly which is also adaptable to triple hung construction without undergoing complicated, or otherwise expensive, changes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sash supporting structure wherein springs are utilized for temporary sash retaining purposes when said sash is in an open position, but wherein no springs are utilized in the normal closed position of either of said sashes.

Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with this type of equipment upon reading the following disclosure and inspection of the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

I Figure 1 represents a broken view of a screen assembly embodying my invention looking from the outside of the building with which said screen assemby is used.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line II--II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 2.-

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line V-V of Figure 1.

Construction in general In. general, with reference to the double hung embodiment, the construction here disclosed and claimed contemplates a pair of side-by-side, parallel, inner and outer, channels on each side of the window opening for holding a double hung screen sash. The bottoms or webs of said channels are spaced further apart than the corresponding width of said screen and the channels on one side of the window opening have spring elements in the bottom of the outer thereof and in the upper part of the inner thereof. In the same channels there are placed one or more blocks partially filling said channels in the portions thereof, and only said portions, corresponding to the position of said screen sash when same are respectively in their closed positions. Thus, it is impossible to remove said screen sash from said channels when the screen is closed and locked, but upon the unlocking thereof the screen sash may be respectively moved into the parts of their respective channels which are not provided with said blocks and may then be removed from said channels by manually urging them sidewise against said springs in a conventional manner.

A small spring element on the outside of the lower screen holds the upper screen in position and any convenient locking mechanism at the sill holds the lower screen in position.

Detailed construction The following terminology will be used in the disclosure and will be understood to carry the. following meanings. The terms inner and outer as used hereinafter will refer to directions with respect to the building upon which a given window structure is mounted. The terms upper and lower and sidewise and terms directly related to, or derivable from, said terms, will refer to the window in its normal position of use, although it will be understood that the window can be used in other positions. While screen sashes are used throughout for purposes of illustration, and such do provide the primary commercial use of this mounting structure, it is entirely possible that the same mounting structure could be applied to other forms of panels.

Turning now to the construction of my screen in detail, it will be sufficient in some instances to describe only one side thereof inasmuch as in some instances the opposite sides of said screen mounting structure are identical. Hence, excepting where different construction is expressly described for both sides of the screen mounting elements, it will be understood that both sides are identical and that the description of one side is sufiicient.

Referring first to the screen sash by itself, this may be constructed in any conventional manner with the use of either rolled or extruded sash sections in which the screen cloth maybe installed in a conventional manner and with respect to which the corners may be constructed in a conventional manner.

However, as herein particularly disclosed for illustrative purposes, all elements of the screen sash are comprised of identical parts of extruded material having a generally rectangular body section l and a screen cloth supporting section 2. The screen cloth 3 fits into said section 2 and is held in position by a resilient spline 4 in a well known manner.

The corners are held together by angular corner members, not shown, which are received within the openings 6 in the body section I. The corner members may be conventional but they are preferably constructed in the form and by the method disclosed and claimed in Kaufmann Patent 'No. 2,464,514.

The parts, as aforesaid, are assembled together to form the screen sashes l and H, said sashes being of vertical extent with respect to the window opening as to overlap each other at their meeting rails 12 and E3 in the conventional manner of double hung construction and as particularly shown in Figure 2.

Turning now to the sash mounting structure, there are provided side channel members, or elements, l and H5 and a top element ll. Each of said side channel members defines a pair of closely adjacent parallel substantially U-ohaped 4 channels which in the right hand channel members facing the window from the outside of the building are designated by the numerals E9 and 253, and in the corresponding left hand members are designated by the numerals 2| and 22. Said channels are divided by partition Channels l3 and 28 have a mutual sidewall 25 between them. The top channel member is similar but. modified construction and. has L-shaped sash receiving portions designated by the numerals 23 and 24. Said channel and top members are shown here for convenience as being of extruded material but they may also be of rolled material if preferable for other reasons.

Said side and top members are arranged and fastened to the opposed faces of the window frame, as the face 26, by any convenient means, such as the screws 29 (Figure 3).

Placed in the upper half of the inside channels on one side of the mounting structure, here the righthand side as viewed from the outside of the window, is a spring 38. This spring is of presently known construction and is aflixed to the bottom or web of said channel member 2!] by any convenient means such as the rivet Placed in the lower half of the outside channel and also on the righthand side as viewed from the outside of the window, is the spring 3:3, which is of similar construction and may be fastened in place by similar means.

Placed in the upper half of the righthand, outside channel are the blocks 31 and 3B. These blocks are of any convenient length and may be replaced by a single long block extending substantially the full length of the upper screen sash. Said blocks are of such width in a horizontal direction that they occupy substantially less than the full depth of the channel in said channel member.

Placed in the lower part of the inside channel and on the righthand side of the window, viewed from the outside of the window, are the blocks 39 and 40. Said blocks 39 and 40 are of any convenient length and may be replaced by a. single long block if desired. These blocks are likewise of horizontal dimension substantially less than the depth of the channel in. order to provide a window receiving channel between themselves and free edges of said channel 29. Thus, when said sashes are in their respective closed positions adjacent said blocks, it will be impossible to remove same.

On the left hand side of said window and placed in both the inside and outside of said channels 2| and. 22 are the inverted U-shaped strip, or block members t5 and '36. They are fastened in place, in any convenient manner, as by the screws 41 and 48. Said members are utilized to balance. the block members above appearing on the righthand side of said window in order that the screen sash will be properly centered with respect to the side channel members l5 and I6.

A small spring 4| extends through an opening 42 in the bottom of the outermost of said U-shaped members, as the member 46, and is aflixed to the bottom of said member 46 in any convenient manner as by the rivet 43. Said spring when in its normal position holds tle upper sash in its upward position but said spring may be readily depressed by pressing it with a pencil or screwdriver, or other similar means.

Any convenient locking mechanism may be placed at the bottom of the inside or lower sash,

of the strip- 45 and the blocks 39 and 40.

as the loci: 6d. Said lock comprises a lock housing 6| and a movable member 62 pivoted therein. Said movable member is operated by a handle 53 and includes a cam member 6-", so positioned as to enter an opening in the bottom rail of the lower sash. Any convenient locking mechanism may be provided within the housing 60 and, where locking from the inside is desired, it may be operable by a key in any conventional manner, as through a keyhole 65.

In the schematic diagram of Figure 7 there are shown three sash members constructed and mounted in the same manner as above described in detail for the sash construction excepting only the manner by which the middle sash is held in position. The middle sash supports at its upper end a plate so which overlaps and engages the upper side of the lower rail 5! of the upper sash and the bottom sash supports a plate 52 of similar construction which. similarly engages the upper side of the lower rail of the middle sash, Zhe upper sash is held in the same manner as the upper sash in the double hung construction above described in detail, the middle sash is held against downward movement by the plate 50 and, when the lower sash is locked in position, as described above for the lower sash of the double hung embodiment, the middle sash is held by the plate 52 against upward movement. Thus, by the simple expedient of adding a third side channel and providing the plates 50 and 52 on the upper edges of the middle and lower sash members, the window can readily be converted into a triple hung structure which, as the double hung structure above described, cannot be opened from the inside when the lower sash is by any convenient means looked into its lowermost, or closed, position. 1

In opening said window, the locking relationship of the lower sash with the sill is released, and the respective sash are permitted to rise until the plates 50 and 52 interfere with the lower side of the upper rails of the upper and middle sash respectively (Figure 8) Openation The lower sash is first inserted into the upper part of the inner channel between the upper portion of the strip 55 and the spring 30. It is inserted into said inner channel by pressing same sidewardly against the upper spring 36 and is then temporarily left in such upper position while the upper sash is being installed. The upper sash is now inserted into the outer channel in the lower portion thereof by urging the side thereof against the spring 34. It is then moved upwardly into closed position between the strip 46 and the blocks 37 and 33 and is held in position by the latch it which snaps under the upper sash as it moves upwardly into its closed position. The lower sash is now moved downwardly into its permanent position between the lower part The blocks, being adjacent to the panels when said panels are in their closed positions, hold said panels against sufficient sideward movement to permit their removal from the sash frame. Thus, when the lock is moved into locking position, there is no way that the screen can be opened from the inside without destruction thereof.

The sashes are removed by a reversal of the insertion steps,

Accordingly, I have disclosed an extremely simple structure for mounting a pair of double hung screen sashes which structure may be conveniently handled in a conventional manner where locking thereof against removal from the inside is not required but which by the simple device of affixing an internally applied locking mechanism to the window sill inside of the screen, said screen can be rendered non-removable from both inside and outside.

I claim:

1. In screen sash mounting structure for double hung sash which are to be held against removal from the inside, the combination comprising: a pair 01' channel members in side by side and parallel relationship extending the full length of the window opening on one side of the window and another similar pair of channel members on the other side of said window opening, each of the channels provided thereby being of substantially U-shaped cross-section and said pairs of chan nels being positioned facing each other and sub stantially opposite each other; resilient means in the lower portion of the outer channel on one side of said window frame and a block member in the upper portion of said outer channel on said one side of said frame, said block member filling less than the entirety of the channel in which it is placed; a resilient member in the upper portion of the inside channel on one side of said window frame and a block member in the lower portion of said inside channel member on said one side of said frame; retractable means normally extending into one of said outer channels on one side and positioned for holding the upper sash in its normally closed position; and locking means affixable to the sill of the window frame into which said sash supporting structure is mounted and cooperable with said lower sash for holding same in its lowermost, and closed, position.

2. In sash supporting structure for holding a pair of double hung sash against opening from the inside of the building, the combination comprising: a first channel member comprising means defining a pair of channels arranged in side-byside, parallel, inner and outer, relationship and amxable to one vertical side of a window opening; a second channel member comprising means defining a similar pair of channels and affixable to the other vertical side of said window opening; a pair of double hung sash, one being positioned in the outer of said channels and the other being positioned in the inner of said channels; a resilient member in the lower half of the outermost channel of the first of said channel members; and a block positioned in the upper half of the outermost channel of said first channel member, said block being tapered at its lower corner; said block being of such size as to fill less than the entire horizontal depth of said outer channel and said first and second channel members being so spaced with respect to each other that the total distance from the bottom of the outer channel in said second channel member to the free edges of said outer channel in said first channel member is less than the horizontal width of said sash element in said outer channel; a spring in the upper half of the inside channel of said first channel member and a block in the lower half of the inside channel of said first channel member, said block filling less than all of the horizontal depth of said inside channel of said second channel member and said channel members being so spaced with respect to each other that the bottom of said last-named inside channel is spaced from the free edges of the inside channel of said first channel member a distance less than the hortzontal dimension of the sash in said inner channel; retractable means extendable into saidoutcr channel and positioned for holding said upper sash in its fully raised position, said retractable means being manually movable out of the channel in which it is mounted for permitting said upper sash element to pass downwardly past same; and means affixable to the window sill and cooperable with the lower rail of said lower sash for holding same in its lowermost position and overlapping said upper sash at the meeting rails thereof.

3. In sash supporting structure for holding a pair of double hung sash against opening from the inside of the building, the combination comprising: first channel member comprising means defining a pair of channels arranged in side-by-side, parallel, inner and outer, relationship and afiixable to one vertical side of a window opening; a second channel member comprising means defining a similar pair of channels and aflixable to the other vertical side or" said window frame; a resilient member in the lower half of the outermost channel of the first of said channel members; and a block positioned 1 in the upper half of the outermost channel of said first channel member, said block being tapered at its lower corner; said block being of such size as to fill less than the entire horizontal depth of said outer channel and said first and second channel members being so spaced with respect to each other that the total distance from the bottom of the outer channel in said second channel member to the free edges of said outer channel in said first channel member is less than the horizontal width of the upper sash element which is to be placed in said outer channel; a spring in the upper half of the inside channel of said first channel member and a block in the lower half of the inside channel of said first channel member, said block filling less than all of the horizontal depth of said inside channel of said second channel member and said channel members being so spaced with respect to each other that the bottom of said last-named inside .1

channel is spaced from the free edges of the inside channel of said first channel member a distance less than the horizontal dimension of the lower sash which is to be placed in said inner channel; retractable means extendable into said outer channel and positioned for holding said upper sash in its fully raised position, and means affixable to the window sill and cooperable with the lower rail of said lower sash for holding same in its lowermost position and overlapping said upper sash at the meeting rails thereof.

4. In screen sash mounting structure for double hung sash which are to be held against removal from the inside, the combination comprising: a pair of channel members in side. by side and parallel relationship extending the full length of the window opening on one side of the window frame and another similar pair of channel members on the other side of said window opening, each of the channels provided thereby including a substantially U-shaped cross-section and said pairs of channels positioned facing each other and substantially opposite each other; resilient means in the one portion of the outer channel on one side of said window frame and a block member in a vertically spaced portion of the outer channel on one side of said frame; a resilient member in the upper portion of the inside channel on one side or said window frame and a block member in the lower portion of the inside channel memher on one side of said frame; means for holding said uppersash in its normally closed position; and locking means afiixable to the sill of the window frame into which said sash supporting structure is mounted and cooperable with said lower sash for holding same in its lowermost, and closed, position.

5. In screen sash mounting structure for double hung sash which are to be held against removal from the inside, the combination comprising: a pair of channel members in side by side and parallel relationship extending the full length of the window opening on one side of the window frame and another similar pair of channel members 0n the other side of said window opening, each of the channels provided thereby including a substantially U-shaped cross-section and said pairs of channels positioned facing each other and substantially opposite each other; resilient means in the one portion of the outer channel on one side of said window frame and a block member in a vertically spaced portion of the outer channel on one side of said frame, said block member filling less than the entirety of the channel in which it is placed; a resilient member in the upper portion of the inside channel on one side of said window frame and a block member in the lower portion of the inside channel member on one side of said frame; said block member filling less than the entirety of the channel in which it is placed and means holding said upper sash in its normally closed position; and looking means aifixable to the sill of the window frame into which said sash supporting structure is mounted and cooperable with said lower sash for holding same in its lowermost, and closed, position.

6. In screen sash mounting structure for double hung sash which are to be held against removal from the inside, the combination comprising: a pair of channel members in side by side and parallel relationship extending the full length of the window opening on one side of the window frame and another similar pair of channel members on the other side of said window opening, each of the channels provided thereby being of substantially U-shaped crosssection and said pairs of channels positioned facing each other and substantially opposite each other; resilient means in the lower portion of the outer channel on one side of said window frame and a block member in the upper portion of the outer channel on one side of said frame, said block member filling less than the entirety of the channel in which it is placed; a resilient member in the upper portion of the inside channel on one side of said window frame and a block member in the lower portion of the inside channel member on one side of said frame; retractable means normally extending into one of said outer channels on one side and positioned for holding said upper sash in its normally closed position.

7. In screen sash mounting structure for double hung sash which are to be held against removal from the inside, the combination comprising: a pair of channel members in side by side and parallel relationship extending the full length of the window opening on one side of the window frame and another similar pair of channel members on the other side of said window opening, each of the channels provided thereby including a substantially U-shaped cross-section and said pairs of channels positioned facing each other and substantially opposite each other;

9 resilient means in the one portion of the outer channel on one side of said window frame and a block member in a vertically spaced portion of the outer channel on one side of said frame, said block member filling less than the entirety of the channel in which it is placed; a resilient member in the upper portion of the inside channel on one side of said Window frame and a block member in the lower portion of the inside channel member on on side of said frame; said block member filling less than the entirety of the channel in which it is placed and means holding said upper sash in its normally closed position.

8. In sash supporting structure for holding a pair of double hung sash against opening from the inside of the building, the combination comprising: a first channel member comprising means defining a pair of channels arranged in side-by-side, parallel, inner and outer, relationship and aifixable to one vertical side of a window frame; a second channel member comprising means defining a similar pair of channels and aifixable to the other vertical side of said window frame; a pair of double hung sash, one being positioned in the outer of said channels and the other being positioned in the inner of said channels; a resilient member in the lower half of the outermost channel of the first of said channel members; and a block positioned in the upper half of the outermost channel of said first channel member, said block being tapered at its lower corner; said block being of such size as to 10 fill less than the entire horizontal depth of said outer channel and said first and second channel members being so spaced with respect to each other that the total distance from the bottom of the outer channel in said second channel member to the free edges of said outer channel in said first channel member is less than the horizontal width of said sash element in said outer channel; a spring in the upper half of the inside channel of said first channel member and a block in the lower half of the inside channel of said first channel member, said block filling less than all of the horizontal depth of said inside channel of said second channel member and said channel members being so spaced with respect to each other that the bottom of said last-named inside channel is spaced from the free edges of the inside channel of said first channel member a distance less than the horizontal dimension of the sash in said inner channel; retractable means for normally holding the upper sash in its fully raised position, said means being manually movable out of upper sash holding position.

MARSHALL V. NOECKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 732,274 Byrne June 30, 1903 1,285,754 Lunken Nov. 26, 1918 2,326,897 Stowe Aug. 17, 1943 

